Wednesday, January 30, 2013

PGS: Gm 7 vs. CHI

by NiNY

Wild
Back-to-backs are never fun. B2Bs in a compressed schedule are even less fun. B2Bs where the 2nd game is against the undefeated - and rested - Blackhawks are downright cruel.

The Wild got a glimpse of what life can be like with secondary scoring last night, when Butch popped in the GWG. Hopefully that inspires the rest of the non-first liners. I thought Setoguchi and Cullen continued to improve their play overall, but something's missing on that line and it appears it might be Granlund after hearing Yeo has had to sit him down, pull him aside for extra counseling, etc. Nothing wrong with that - he is still a rookie, afterall - but that could be what's holding back the Setoguchis of the team.

Normally you could say the Wild has tired legs as an excuse. But they've managed to let the Blues and the BJs both back into games in the third period, when both opponents had played the night before. So we'll see if that only applies to the Wild, I guess.

It wasn't out of line to suggest last night's game was a "must win" in this shortened season, so it's not out of line to suggest tonight's game is a major measuring stick. The Hawks are not going to go 48-0-0, so why can't their first loss be tonight?

Hards needs to rebound from a middling effort his last game out. His numbers: 1-1-0, 2.56 GAA, .902 SPCT.

Blackhawks
Lots of hyperbole getting thrown at this team right now - and deservedly so. Consider: Minnesota's top line (which has been so great) has a combined 23 points in six games. Chicago's top line also has a combined 23 points in six games. But, the Wild's next three highest scoring forwards have a combined six points (including PMB, Granlund, Cullen). While the Hawks' next three highest scoring forwards have a combined thirteen points (Sharp, Bolland, Bickell).

Crawford has been the beneficiary of all this offense. He's posted a 5-0-0 record, with a 1.78 GAA and a .933 SPCT.

The Hawks can hurt you in myriad different ways and are not shy about doing so. Their coaches got to scout the Wild last night, and it's not like they needed any additional advantage. Of the two teams, Chicago is not the one that needs to play their "best game" in order to win tonight, and that's bad news for Minnesota.

POI

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Nick in New York (NiNY) is just a guy with a computer and a love of hockey. And a wife and two daughters whom he adores. And a decreasing ability to metabolize beer in a way that doesn't, er, add to the bottom line, as it were.

Feel free to toss him an email with any thoughts on the blog, or the sport.

Mason...you don't really want to mess with Mason. He's nasty with the writing skillz. And can drop some ridic culture pulls into his narrative. Lover of haiku.

Mason can be reached at: jaredmas@gmail.com

Did you know that no two zebras' stripes are the same? Well we have a zebra here at HTP, and his name is Doubles. Only he's a hockey zebra - and he's here going to share his great wealth of hockey knowledge from an on-ice official's standpoint with you. Feel free to read him in Chris Rock's voice.